Get Me To The Church On Time
by zillagirl84
Summary: Crossover between the Charmed and Buffy universes. A Leo POV. Leo's thinking about his daughter, Melinda, on her wedding day to Cole and Willow's son. A WILLOW IN THORNS SERIES FIC.


**Disclaimer:** The characters of _Charmed_, _Buffy – the Vampire Slayer_, and _Angel_ do not belong to me. (However, they are welcome to visit anytime.) The song _Get Me To The Church On Time_ is from the musical, _My Fair Lady_, written by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe.

**Summary: **A Leo Wyatt POV. It is Melinda Halliwell's wedding day. Daddy is thinking.

**Author's Note:** This takes place in the same universe as my story, _A Willow in Thorns_. This is a one-shot. Please R&R. Give me your thoughts.

**Get Me To The Church On Time**

Just one more beer, I demand of the waitress. I just need one more beer. Maybe the pain'll go away then. One more beer and I'll forget. Forget what? That my little girl doesn't need me anymore. That she has someone new. She won't need her daddy anymore. What? What did you say? A little girl always needs a daddy, is that right? I belch and the waitress slinks off to another table.

Everyone is looking at me. The poor old drunk. If they only knew how old. All these years later and I'm reduced to a slobbering fool because of one beautiful little girl – my beautiful little treasure, my Melinda. I smile goofily as I remember her birth. She was so tiny at birth with a red little face – and what a set of lungs! That little girl could probably be heard in the next county when she cried.

She grew up so fast. Why did she have to do that? It would've been perfect if she could have stayed a beautiful little girl forever. With a ribbon in her hair and a pink sundress, I could've stayed like that forever. The other patrons turned as I groan loudly, burying my face in my hands. I start to cry, my shoulders convulsing.

I remember everything. Her first word - "demon". Her first orb. Her first step. The day she first walked. Her first spell. It happened so fast. She loved going to the zoo. I must've taken her every week. And, how she loved music. I remember that CD of Ella Fitzgerald that Cole had given her one year for her birthday. That was the start of it all – she loved the sheer romance of jazz. She was a wonderful dancer, too. We'd dance in the conservatory so many times.

We'll dance tonight, too. My last dance with my baby girl. I hope it's a nice slow one, so I can hold her in my arms. I'll tell her how much I love her and how she can come home whenever she wants. How I never want her to think she's not still my little girl. How... How... How...

How did I get here? How did I lose my daughter to... to... Ben. I can't really hate Ben. I can't even blame him for being a quarter demon. He's a nice boy. Even the girls like him. I laugh at the thought of it all. They've come a long way if the almighty Charmed Ones will allow one of their own to marry the son of the demon Belthazar. Piper loves him.He's a chef after all.Has his own bistro restaurant - Boca del Infierno. He's a good boy, a good brother, a good son. But still...

I should head to the church. Piper'll kill me if I'm not there on time.

"... getting married in the morning,

ding-dong the bell's are gonna chime.

We'll have whopper, pull out the stopper,

Get me to the church on time..."

I start to sing the old standard from the musical, _My Fair Lady_. Ding-dong is right. Just like the wedding guests. There's a bunch of ding-dongs. You couldn't invent a guest list like this. A demon father of the groom. A white lighter father of the bride. The groom's godparents, one a Slayer, another a White Lighter. There'll be ghosts for both sides. Vampires on the groom's side. Vampires! I'll bet the Elders are screaming about that. Or maybe not. They're not as uptight as they'd once been. Of course, an Elder will be at the wedding. Ben's grandfather.

"I've got to get there in the morning,

Spruced up and lookin' in my prime,

Pull out a compass, kick up a rompass,

Get me to the church on time..."

I sing, quite badly as a matter of fact. I'm out of tune and slurring all my words.But I haven't forgotten anything yet. I'm not numb yet. She really loves this boy. But how does she know? Think of all the bad relationships Piper and the girls have gone through. How can be sure? And what will the children be like? Cold terror grips my heart. Children! I don't want her to have children. They'll take her even farther away from me. And what'll happen? Orb or shimmer? Heal or hurt? I moan as my head throbs. It's just too much to think about. I can't, I just can't.

"If I am dancing roll up the floor,

If I am whistling, out the door."

A different voice starts to sing. A deep voice untouched by alcohol. I know this voice. I look up. Cole. Belthazor. Enemy. Friend. Family?

"Hey, Leo, need some help getting to the church on time?" Cole was grinning in that way that makes him look so much like a rogue.

"Cole, leave me alone. Can't you see I'm suffering?" I push him back and he chuckles.

"Oh, don't you think I didn't have to listen to Willow and her baby boy's leaving her spiel. Anyway, I'm only doing this since I think one day you'll have to drag my head out of a bottle when my daughter walks down the aisle." Cole sniffed questioningly at my empty beer glass. "Although, I think I'll drown my sorrows in something a little more discriminating."

"Only the best for you, Cole." I smile tightly. "I'm scared, Cole. She's leaving me."

"No, Leo. She's leaving the Manor, she's leaving her little girl's room, she'll never leave you. C'mon, Leo. You have guests to greet. And a very special girl needs her daddy." Cole smiled and put his arm around my shoulders and propelled me towards the door.

"Promise me."

"I promise, Leo. Shall we sing the last chorus together."

I smile at him and we sing completely out of tune with another as we head to the church. I do believe I'll make it on time.

"... getting married in the morning,

ding-ding-dong they're gonna chime,

Girls come and kiss me, say that you'll miss me,

Get me to the church on time."


End file.
